Gauteng education dept to provide counselling for murdered Soweto teen’s family

The Gauteng Department of Education will provide counselling to the family of murdered Soweto teen Sphiwe Sibeko.

“We are providing the family with counselling after they saw her body. The family asked for support because what they saw was a very bad picture and they do not want to carry that picture forever,” Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi told the media outside the family’s home in Dobsonville, Soweto, on Monday.

This after Lesufi announced on Sunday the Grade 9 pupil from Aurora Girls’ High School in Soweto was found dead after failing to return from a shop.

It was earlier reported she was sent to the shop on Thursday. After returning home, she decided to go back as she had forgotten some items. The 14-year-old never made it home.

Her body was later found in a bush in eMndeni Extension, Soweto, on Friday. Sibeko was raped and murdered.

Lesufi said after the 21-day lockdown, the department together with the district and school would honour the pupil at a memorial service.

“The family has given us permission so that students can bid farewell to her. We remain hopeful that after the lockdown we will have a proper farewell,” he added.

In addition, the department will be providing the family with burial support and carrying the funeral costs.

“We will use our might as the state to speak to law enforcement to dig deeper into this matter. We cannot have a person murdered like this and it is business as usual. We really believe that we need to hunt the killers,” Lesufi said.

Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said on Monday the police have no suspects yet and called on anyone with information to come forward.

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